ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pop — music
  3. pop — to visit
  4. face — part of the head
  5. squash — the sport
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rest — a break
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mug — a face
  11. sharp — clever
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. face — to point toward
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. rest — what's left
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. pop — soda
  20. mug — a cup
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mug — to rob
  23. face — to confront
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com